I just popped another Elring head gasket yesterday. New bolts last time or maybe the time before that actually. I know what my problem is, it's that I don't have enough fuel for full boost in 3rd gear and not being quick enough letting off the throttle. I plan on rectifying this shortly. But since I'm going to have it apart yet again, are arp studs a worthwhile investment. Plus t'd B21 with k-jet 160 head.

I just popped another Elring head gasket yesterday. New bolts last time or maybe the time before that actually. I know what my problem is, it's that I don't have enough fuel for full boost in 3rd gear and not being quick enough letting off the throttle. I plan on rectifying this shortly. But since I'm going to have it apart yet again, are arp studs a worthwhile investment. Plus t'd B21 with k-jet 160 head.

Fancy studs won't help you from blowing gaskets if the afr and timing is wrong..

In my experience in the EJ20 world ARP studs are worth their weight in gold.

Slightly different block and problem. since both block and heads are aluminum there is no harshly different growth rate problems as in iron block/aluminum head cars..
Likewise iron/block/iron heads like the nearest thing to Volvo, the one that has same bore, stroke, bore c-c, head and main bolt sized etc.

That mainly just shows what a piece of crap EJ20 and the whole EJ family is stock.

Depends on how much you plan to do. For me, it's been worth it since my car has had the head off several times, but I've only bought 1 set of studs, not a couple sets of bolts. Also slightly higher than normal loading at 20psi. lol

My suggestion is to lower the boost to a safe fueling level. Put it back together and use the cometic if you want a stronger head gasket and torque the head bolts to the Penta specs. I think it's 120 degrees if I recall correctly.

Yes head studs are worth the money. Whether you need them or not is a different story and doesn't really matter. ARP head studs are far more resistant to stretching, which prevents the head from lifting ever so slightly and blowing out a headgasket. Also, studs allow for a more accurate bolt torque value. A MLS headgasket and head studs are definitely the bees knees, especially if you like removing your cylinder head often.

get new bolts (~$30 or whatever), elring gasket. copper coat the gasket, torque the bolts down, then turn em to 110 degrees instead of 90 (unless they get "gooey" before 110). that's what, like $50 in parts for everything?

get new bolts (~$30 or whatever), elring gasket. copper coat the gasket, torque the bolts down, then turn em to 110 degrees instead of 90 (unless they get "gooey" before 110). that's what, like $50 in parts for everything?

I think I went 115 degrees last time but I didn't copper coat the gasket. Also one use bolts but I checked the length on all of them.

What head are you using? Also I'm planning on going elring again since I bought it from FCP, I'll try out their lifetime warranty.

398 from 1984. Had it off a while ago (blew hg due to mishap with crank sensor image). Didn't do anything fancy (well, I measured the bolts and scraped off som residue from the old hg) before it went back on the engine

get new bolts (~$30 or whatever), elring gasket. copper coat the gasket, torque the bolts down, then turn em to 110 degrees instead of 90 (unless they get "gooey" before 110). that's what, like $50 in parts for everything?